There are a lot of signs that you are getting over confident in your ability to get away with shoplifting. Some signs are more easily identifiable, while others go unnoticed until you really reflect on your habits. Here is my list of signs you are on your way to getting caught, and how to fix those problems before you end up with a criminal charge.
SIGN 1: Your main goal is to get out of the store without being stopped.
While avoiding confrontation is a good shoplifting habit to get into, it shouldn't be your priority. It isn't good enough to just be able to run faster than the LP. You should be focused on making sure no one even knows what you're up to, not just getting away with it. You are much less likely to get caught and charged if the LP hasn't been notified than if you just get out without a struggle.
SIGN 2: You are making large hauls.
Yea, everyone knows it; it's nice to have a lot of stuff for free. But is it really worth getting hundreds of dollars in fines and a long time on probation just for a big bag of random shit? There's nothing wrong with accumulating large amounts of stolen goods, but it is better to gradually collect the items rather than go on one big stealing spree. No one will miss a pack of gum or a couple pens or that eyeliner you've been wanting, but it's obvious when you walk out with a bulging bag and there's half the store's inventory missing. Go small and keep the items in different places on your person. That way if you do get caught, you're less likely to have all of the items found, and a smaller haul means smaller fines (or even none at all). Tuck the pens in your boots, a couple magazines in the back of your pants, a prepaid gift card in your wallet, etc. Then if you are stopped and they only check your bag and pockets, then they won't find as much (or any) of the supposedly stolen items. If they only find like $20 or less, they likely won't press charges and just let you go with a warning.
SIGN 3: You are stealing more and more expensive items.
It's nice to appear as if you live a life of luxury and have all of the best high-end items, but the pricier products tend to be better secured and monitored. A lot of name brand products (cheet0$, pr!ngle$, etc) tend to be exactly the same as the store brand; many are even made in the same factory and just packaged differently! This doesn't just go for food; many clothing items, personal hygiene products, etc tend to be the same regardless of price or brand. It's better to go for the cheaper "knock-off" version than the high-end expensive shit. Who cares if the w@lm@rt brand swimsuit goes missing, but if the l@ perl@ swimsuit is gone then all hell will break loose and they will be HUNTING you down.
SIGN 4: You are shoplifting every time you go into a store.
A lot of stores have employees who don't really care what anyone does as long as they get paid. So as long as you don't overdo it, they won't care. But if you are coming in every single day on the same person's shift and stealing a bunch of shit, then they will have the threat of getting fired if they don't find out who is stealing. Have a rotation of stores that you will shoplift from, and don't always go at the same time. For example, if you go to w@lm@rt at 10 am one day and shoplift, then wait a week or two and go back at night and shoplift. While you're waiting for w@lm@rt to come back into the rotation, go to other stores and shoplift. It might mean you have to spend more gas money, but the haul will be well worth it.
SIGN 5: You are doing more spontaneous shoplifting.
Sometimes it's tempting to just pocket something while you're in a store. But without a good plan, you aren't likely to get away with it. Go into the store BEFORE you do any shoplifting. Scope out cameras, look for products that you are interested in stealing, locate the entrances and exits. Make a detailed mental plan on how you are going to get in, get your items, and get out without suspicion. DON'T MAKE A PHYSICAL WRITTEN PLAN OR MAP! It should be pretty obvious why; it's easier to hide a plan in your mind than to try to destroy the evidence on paper or on your phone when the cops have it in their hands. Have a plan, but appear as if it were spontaneous. This way, if you do get caught, it will only be a shoplifting charge instead of a burglary charge.
SIGN 6: You have been testing the limits of your abilities.
I get it, you've been getting away with your smaller hauls so far and you want to make the leap from amateur to professional shoplifter. That's great and all, but without the knowledge and experience that comes with time, you are setting yourself up for disaster. Becoming a professional shoplifter will often happen without you realizing it. So if you have to make the conscious decision to "become a professional," then you aren't ready. Just let the process go naturally; over time you will develop better shoplifting skills and slowly go from amateur to intermediate to professional.
SIGN 7: You have had a near miss.
This is one of the biggest signs that you are getting cocky. A near miss means that you need to take a step back and acknowledge what you need to do better. Almost got caught stealing a big bag of candy? Start making smaller, more frequent thefts of the small bag of candy instead of the jumbo bag. Almost got caught because an item fell out of where you had it concealed and someone saw? Make sure future items are firmly placed where there is no chance of anyone knowing you have merchandise on your person. Loosely place some duck tape under your shirt, and use it to secure items to your body. Duck tape fixes everything.
SIGN 8: You're getting bored and feel like you never get enough items in a haul.
It's better to feel like you didn't get as much as you wanted but get away with it than to try to grab everything you could ever want and get caught. If you can't be happy with the items you can get in a single haul, then make your outings more frequent. You want (for whatever reason) 20 bags of candy? Get a couple bags every time you go into the store. Eventually you will have as many as you originally wanted, but you won't have to worry about hiding a million things in your bag all at once. Boredom is safety. If you are bored, it means you are getting away with shoplifting. It might be exciting to sprint out the door with a shit ton of products and speed off before the LP can get your licence plate numbers, but it means you almost got caught. Think about how excited you were when you first got away with shoplifting. Over time that feeling should wear off. If you are still getting really excited about shoplifting, then you are probably gonna get caught soon.
That's all I can think of for now.
IllegalExpertGirl
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